Spain - October 12, Columbus Day
 

I will be in Madrid on Oct. 12, Columbus Day in Spain. <BR> <BR>Are there parades/festivities surrounding this holiday? Will many stores/museums be closed?

I haven't visited Spain yet, not until November. But isn't Columbus Day an American holiday? Do the Spanish celebrate it?

Columbus Day, October 12, is called Fiesta Hispanidad in Spain and it is a holiday. For other basic information on Spain see my page at www.enjoy-europe.com/cds/spain.htm. <BR> <BR>

excellent...thanks!

John, thank you for correcting me. It's nice to know! I tried your web site but it wouldn't open. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks John. I'll look up the information in the website after work!

Linda, I think Columbus was Spainsh!

Nobody agrees where Columbus comes from. Most people believe that he came from Genoa in Italy. Other people (mainly Catalans) believe that he came from Catalonia. The statue at the end/beginning of La Rambla is there for a different reason, though. Barcelona was the first place he visited when he came back from his first trip to "the new world" (he made 4). He was recieved by King Ferdinand at the Placa del Rei, in the Gothic Quarter. <BR> <BR>What IS true is that most of the benefits of his "discovery" went to Spain. His memory is quite admired in Spain. So much, that his face is on the 5,000 peseta bill. The "conquistador" Cortes is on the 1,000 peseta bill. <BR> <BR>Two things boggle the mind, though. <BR> <BR>1. Why someone would be surprised that the Spaniards celebrate Columbus. <BR> <BR>2. That someone thinks that Columbus day is strictly an American holiday.

Yes, Oct. 12 is the national day, as for you Jul. 4. <BR> <BR>Some museums can be closed, but not all of them and never restaurants, theaters... The King and Queen celebrates a luxury lunch in the Royal Palace, so it will be closed. <BR> <BR>A militar parade is celebrate in central Madrid, the King and the Queen will be there with all the members of the government. <BR> <BR>So the main problems will be in Madrid. In other parts of Spain, the celebration is not so big. <BR> <BR>Columbus, no one can say from where he came. The majority thinks he was from Genoa, in Italy. <BR> <BR>In the times of Columbus (XV century), there was an only crown in Spain, hold by the Catolic Kings, and two main kingdoms belong to that crown, Castille and Aragon (wich included Catalonia). So the unification of Spain was because the Queen of Castille married the King of Aragón. The administration of the Kingdom wasn't unified till the first Borbón (Philippe V) in 1715. <BR>If you want to know more about Spanish History, tell me and I will send you an email (or many)

to You: Not all of us know everything (as apparently you do). I'll be the first to admit I'm one of those who do not. But I don't mind being corrected, either. I also believe that in my first posting I posed it as a question, not a statement. I really don't think I deserved your sarcasm, especially since I thanked John for educating me. By the way, is Fiesta Hispanidad the same thing as Columbus Day? Or is it two different things, just held on the same day? (Again, I don't know everything.) Does Hispanidad equate to Columbus (who may have been Italian, depending on the "authority" you cite). I am well aware of the importance of Columbus' contributions to the wealth of Spain. And I'm happy to hear the Spanish also celebrate one of America's heroes--apparently more than we do.

Linda: <BR> <BR>First of all, I'm sorry if I was overtly sarcastic. I didn't mean to be rude (ok, maybe a little bit). <BR> <BR>Second of all, I had never thought that Americans placed so much importance on Columbus, or Columbus's day (so much for know-it-all :) I had always thought that he was a hero for Spaniards, a rather ambivalent character for Latin Americans, and not too much for the rest of the world. <BR> <BR>I think, (but not sure, I am not a Spaniard) that "Fiesta de la Hispanidad" is a PC way of celebrating Columbus without irritating Latin Americans, as there are quite a few who think of him as some sort of a villian.

Moreover, October 12th is not only Fiesta de la Hispanidad (Columbus' day or whatever is called in other countries). It's also the day of La Virgen del Pilar (patron saint, well virgin, of all Spain). It's especially celebrated in Zaragoza. By the way, Columbus' name is spanish is Cristóbal Colón.

Thanks to everyone for all of their responses. <BR> <BR>Now I am a bit worried about the festivities in Madrid. I am flying in from Granada at 10:30 a.m. on October 12 and staying at the Reina Victoria just off Plaza Santa Ana. <BR> <BR>How difficult will it be getting to the hotel from the airport? I had planned on taking an airport shuttle since I'll have a suitcase plus a carry on and this would be easier.